Malfunctioning railroad crossing signals in east Houston raise safety concerns

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Drivers and residents in east Houston say malfunctioning railroad crossing signals are creating dangerous conditions, with crossing arms lowering, warning lights flashing and sirens sounding even when no train is approaching.

Residents told ABC13 the false activations happen frequently, leading some drivers and pedestrians to ignore the warnings and cross the tracks despite the active signals.

Video shared with ABC13 by the Eastwood Civic Association shows an at-grade railroad crossing where the warning system activated around 7 p.m. on July 7, but a train did not arrive for more than six hours. The video also appears to show someone manually lifting a crossing arm to allow vehicles to pass.

ABC13 observed a similar issue firsthand Wednesday at the railroad crossing on Milby Street. The crossing signals remained active for more than 30 minutes while no train was visible or heard.

"I haven't seen a train in a couple minutes, and I just been waiting," driver Ricky Barajas said while stopped at the crossing.

Another driver, Jamaal Colbert, said it was the second time that day he had encountered the problem.

"I'll keep it real with you. This is my second one today," Colbert said.

As the warning signals continued, some drivers turned around while others drove around the lowered gates. Several pedestrians also crossed the tracks after checking for approaching trains.

"I look both ways to make sure it's not coming," resident Israel Hernandez said. "Obviously, you can still hear it. It's not coming at all."

Hernandez said the issue has become a regular occurrence in the neighborhood.

"The issue is that these trains suck. This happens all the time," he said.

ABC13 contacted Union Pacific about the repeated false activations. In a statement, the railroad urged the public to report crossing issues when they occur. ABC13 also reported the malfunction to the company. A Union Pacific representative said the issue is being investigated.

Residents said they are willing to report problems but believe a more permanent solution is needed before someone is injured.

"It would be nice to kind of know a train is gonna be coming that way you don't go and end up in a bad situation," resident Felicia Greene said.

ABC13 also reached out to Houston City Council members representing portions of the East End to ask whether they are working to address, or if they're aware of them. No responses had been received as of publication.